Abandoning Sky
by ButtonsAndLime
Summary: Sky & Zed get transferred from American Colleges to a University in England after select students start to disappear from their chosen colleges. A few weeks in, when everything appears fine, the World starts to crumble around them when students disappearing weeks into term. The investigation only leads to more confusion, leaving Sky and Zed waiting for the inevitable.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

 **I began writing this Fanfiction a while ago and I did upload them on another account (CurseTheGovernment) but the email to that account got hacked a few months ago and the password changed so I cannot get back onto that account. I did want to get writing again so I'll reupload everything, and the newer chapters, to here instead!**

 **Chapter 1**

'So, do you want to know the good news or the bad news?'

Vick threw the paperwork down on the table in front of us and I immediately raised my eyebrow at him. It was the middle of our summer break, and both Zed and I had just got back from a three week holiday from Spain to be pulled straight into the dining room. Whilst we were on holiday, there had been a massive case Victor was working on with the FBI about Savant's and a high crime rate among the suspected individuals, but we didn't know the details. Everyone had refused to tell us anything in the fear it would "ruin our holiday", so we were left in the dark. I was mildly thankful, though, as the holiday was incredible; it had been just Zed and I in a private villa on our own small beach, relaxing us from the stress of working the majority of study leave from high school and then the beginning of summer vacation for the FBI in an up haul of crimes. It had died down the week before we departed but picked up the second we touch the golden-white sands of Northern Spain. I knew Zed's parents wanted to keep a close eye on us, not trusting us to be alone, but they also realised very soon Zed would fly the nest for college, and as we were heading to two different colleges with several states between us it would be tough and we would want time together. We'd be spending the majority of time away from each other, only being able to Whatsapp – I don't think we could use telepathy between New York and Denver – and only ever meeting when we'd come back home.

'Vick, what is so important that I didn't even have time to pee,' Zed sighed, leaning back on his chair and putting his arm around me as I leaned into him. Jet lag had hit me hard and whilst it was only seven in the evening in Colorado, it was early hours of the morning in Spain and I just wanted to sleep. Zed, who seemed a bit more alert than I did, had a few to drink on the plane back enjoying the laws of drinking-when-eighteen of the flights and thus willing to participate in the conversation.

'Is Sky awake?' I heard Vick ask and I opened my eyes again that I didn't realise I had shut. Zed was gently stroking my upper arm in soft and reassuring gesture and I found that it had calmed me down considerably – to the point of half asleep.

'Yeah, sorry,' I mumbled and Vick smiled at me.

'I know you two must be shattered, but this is massive so please focus for now. I need the paperwork to be sent off by tonight,'

'Paperwork for what?' Zed asked.

'The case that came up when you was in Spain was to do with college students. An individual was hunting down Savant's who attended colleges in America – powerful Savant's, and was taking them. Six people so far have gone missing, and when they released a list of people who they might want to take guess who appeared on the list,' Vick explained, sitting down opposite us on the table. I noticed the way Zed change the way he was sitting, but couldn't do too much more because I was draped against him.

'Us,' Zed simply said and Vick nodded courteously.

'Both of your pretty little asses were on the list, correct.'

'We can't go to college,' Zed said again and I looked at him in shock.

'I've spoken to Mom and Dad, and to your parents as well Sky, and they were in agreement on two things. One; it was too dangerous for you to go to college on your own, and to the places, you have accepted to go but two, this shouldn't affect your education,' Vick said and I frowned but was gutted. I had my heart set on going to college in America, with my major in music. I tried to focus on what Vick was saying but the disappointment set in. For a brief moment, I cursed the Savant world for trying to mess up my future like this but then I stopped and realised if it wasn't for the Savant world, I wouldn't have my beautiful Soulfinder to my right, whose chest I was laying on half asleep with a terrible headache.

'What we've done is managed to get you both a place in a university in England, with a small house that's a part of a cluster house ten-minute walk away from campus. In regards to you two not being alone, Grace has agreed to swap her university to attend the same one as you so you'll have her, and I believe her Soulfinder is moving down with her too so Jack will be there as well, and our cousins and Uncle and Aunt ready to kick butts if you were to need it,'

I sat up a bit and thought about what he said. A university in England? I had considered it but never went with it because it meant moving away from Zed. I had missed England; the country where I grew up for sixteen years before moving stupid amounts and had wanted to return back where it was completely acceptable to have cups of teas and even have a working kettle in the kitchen and not just a coffee machine. I missed mediocre weather and rain, and I missed how British the place was. I also missed Nando's, but that was a minor point of my love for spicy chicken.

'Why is Grace going to be there?' Zed asked. I had met his cousin, Grace, once before and she was lovely. I thought she was young, maybe fourteen, when she turned out to be twenty. Not only that, she was properly kickass, with a black belt in karate, mixed martial arts and judo and has been working for the English Government for Savant crime since her pre-teens. Also, much like her entire family, she was beautiful too.

'She is going to university so she doesn't always have to kick bad guys arses and when I mentioned the plan to her, she willingly swapped her offers around so she is going to the same one as you to be there in minutes if you need her too. Don't worry, I don't think her anti-socialness will cramp your style,' Vick said.

'What university?' I asked Vick.

'University of Reading,'

 **Four weeks later, September 2** **nd**

The weeks had gone by in a blur; trying to organise our belongings to be shipped to an address in an area called Earley, which was near the university and trying to prepare our families for the shocks of not having us around. Honestly, I wasn't too sure how I'd deal the shock of suddenly moving in with Zed when neither of us really agreed but I guessed it wouldn't be too much of a shock to us as quite often we were always around each other. Whenever I wasn't around his house, he was around mine.

I sat on the edge of my queen-sized bed, looking around the room that had been completely cleared bedroom which left only the furniture in place. Any idea that it could have been inhibited by me for two years had gone – the photo's on the wall had been taken down and packed in pages of scrapbooks, my blackboard had been washed clean, and all my little objects that used to litter my room making it person had gone in boxes, wrapped in newspaper, to head over England this afternoon. My bedroom now looked like it was in a furniture shop, advertising matching bed frames and wardrobe fittings and completely devoid of any individuality. I sighed, wondering if what I was doing was right but knew it was too late now to back out. I had been mildly nervous for the move to New York, but at least I knew everyone I love would be in the country; now there would an entire ocean between us.

'Last of your boxes is on the truck,' Zed said, walking into my room with only a pair of jeans on, his shirt long gone when he started hauling the boxes from my bedroom, down the stairs and out into the removals van that had been parked outside my house for the last few hours. Honestly, I didn't mind the view but I just had to thank my lucky stars that my parents weren't it. Zed looked at me, his hair tousled and smiling but when he saw my face he immediately put his arms out. I got up and walked into his open arms, resting my head against his chest as I started to cry.

'Oh, baby,' Zed whispered, holding me tight, 'I knew you weren't okay,'

'I'm okay,' I whispered but I knew he didn't trust me – how can you trust someone saying they're okay when they're in tears. 'I just don't want to leave everyone,'

'We'll still come back, as often as you want.' Zed told me softly, before sighing and picking me up, carrying me over to my bed and laying me down, before climbing over me to lay down, hugging me tight to his side as I continued to sob.

'Sky, we don't have to do this,' Zed said, rubbing my side where my shirt had lifted up and exposed a triangle of his hip.

'I want too, I'm just scared,' I whispered.

'There's nothing to be scared off, baby,' Zed whispered. 'I won't leave you when we're in Reading or whatever it is, nothing bad will happen to us, I'll be with you the entire time,' Zed tried to calm me down and it worked but my nerves wouldn't disappear. Zed gently pulled me on top of his chest, pulling my throw around us as he hugged me tightly, running hands up and down my spine and I shivered slightly.

'We'll work it out?' I whispered to him.

'When haven't we worked it out,' Zed simply said, lifting my shirt up slightly to rub the middle of my back, his pinky finger running against the bottom of my bra strap.

'Did you find out any more of the case?' I asked him.

'Yeah, six students all of which were Savant's had disappeared from college dorms, including one from both colleges we were going too. They had sent Vick a list of about eighty individuals who were at risk, and we appeared on them. It was safer for us to go somewhere together and near family. They were going to transfer just you to Denver, but it was where Vick, Trace, Will and Uriel all are so it just seemed like adding more to the jackpot. Vick had a four-hour long phone call with Grace, and they arranged this all perfectly. She was the one who got us our own house although she warned it wasn't too big, it allows pets in case we wanted a cat or something and she transferred herself down to Reading too, but she wouldn't be in the same class as us,'

'Isn't it a bit weird how they've made all of these plans if it was just a risk? They only did it for us two, and not the other seventy-eight or so that were on the list,' I argued back.

'I know, I thought about that. There's something they're hiding. Grace would be willing to look after us, yes, but not for four years for no apparent reason,' Zed shrugged but held me tight as I flinched. I didn't want to spend freshman year watching my back in case someone kidnaps me like they had done to several other students in colleges across America but that's the way it will be.

'We'll sort it out,' Zed whispered to me, 'Don't worry, we'll sort it out,'

That night, Zed had gone back to his house whilst I lay awake in my own bed, terrified of what the next couple of years would hold. Our flight was early tomorrow morning, from Denver to Heathrow where Zed's cousin Grace would pick us up. I had been forced to go to a university I had never seen nor heard of before, apart from the online tours and had only read up on the music degree both Zed and I would be doing. However; their music suites were incredible and had a wider range of instruments in comparison to Denver and New York so I had to give it the benefit of the doubt. I guess the plus side is that I would be living with Zed in our own cluster house so I wouldn't have to worry about dorms or meeting new people I'd be forced to live with. But instead, I had to worry about being kidnapped and never seen again, as I was on a hit list. They say "warning list," for a collection of potential victims but hit list was the real meaning of the word. I had to worry about going out for the night, and not coming back. Or rather, I had to worry about Zed going out and not making it back either. I was terrified of loosing Zed, and this just seemed a recipe for disaster.

Without Zed, I'd be back to nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I woke up in cold sweat at ten past four in the morning, shaking despite the house being warm. Sally and Simon had warned me they were going to the art studio at two in the morning for a lunar painting art class and I would be alone when I woke up but it didn't bother me. I was used to being alone – the only difference was if I didn't want to be, Zed would be with me in seconds. But now, with him fast asleep in his family house, I was completely alone and fully awake. I sighed, sitting up and grabbing one of Zed's old sweatshirts from the floor and throwing it on before grabbing my phone from the side. Waiting was a goodnight text from Zed, sent at 23:11 pm, but also two unread Whatsapp from Grace.

 _'Sup, a few things about tomorrow; we had to change your flights around because of a glitch in the system at Heathrow. So you're now boarding the 17:08 flight from Denver to London Gatwick – LGW is the airport code if you need it. You'll be required to go through the normal procedure but later – I think the time they want you there is 16:02 and they'll sort it all out privately to protect identity or whatever. I'm telling you this and not my thicko cousin because you'll remember this.'_

The first paragraph of the message read and I smiled.

' _Oh, and Jack and I will pick you up from Gatwick from arrivals – duh – and drive you down to where you're living. The final few bits are being sorted as we speak; the furniture is second hand for now but you'll be able to upgrade when you can. There is also a car – don't expect anything too nice, it's a Corsa from 2005 but you're both insured already. Rent is in your name but it's being paid for under the FBI security protocol. I've filled in the paperwork for your student finances and that'll be heading to your bank account (of which I also opened for you,) within the next week or so, student finance will cover your asses for a while – you'd be getting around £2000 a month and Zed slightly less as well as bursaries and compensation pay from the FBI for fucking around with your degree so honestly, you're going to be loving life. All students are moving into dorms on the sixth of September and that's when enrolment is, so you'll need to head on campus to enrol and so on. Regarding your house; everything is due to come over early morning UK time so we'll move the boxes into the rooms like we agreed and I'll let you unpack. Jack's already cleaned the place down for you. We're living three or so minutes up the road from you. I won't be able to go to university all the time you're over there, but I'll explain why when you're over here. Also, you appear to have a resident cat that loves to come in.'_

The message said and I read through it time and time again trying to memorise all the information she had sent me. Considering I had only met Grace, Zed's cousin, a number of times and her Soulfinder Jack even less, she had gone out of her way to try and make us settled in there as quick as she could, whilst involved her staying up to get the plans ready. I tried to work out what time it was in the UK but to no avail. I scrolled down to see the message underneath.

 _'You owe Jack and I a Nando's now,'_

There was a loud rap on the window which made me shit myself. I looked up, dropping my phone on the bed as I stood up, poised to run and call Zed.

 _It is me, you muppet._ Zed told me in my mind and I immediately relaxed, walking over to the window and drawing back the curtains. Zed sat in the tree outside my window in just a short-sleeved shirt and a pair of trackies. I rolled my eyes as I opened the window.

'Why are you here?' I whispered.

'I couldn't sleep,' He simply replied as I stood out the way. He slowly climbed through the window, landing the small jump in near silence. I had moved my desk out of the way and left the window clear – Zed had quite often used my bedroom window as a way to get into my house when my parents, Sally and Simon, refused his entry. Especially at nights. They knew I feared the nights alone, but they feared me staying with a boy would lead to teenage pregnancy – or they feared me growing up. 'Where are your parents?'

'Lunar class,' I said, shrugging and he smiled, coming close to me. I squinted slightly, looking up at him as my arms wrapped around his neck.

'Oh, so you're home alone,' Zed whispered and I shrugged. We hadn't yet, you know because I always was too scared. Zed understood this and never pushed it further and I respected him huge amounts for that but I had a notion all the time I was pushing it back, the more scared I was going to be. It leads to a deadly cycle which I'd have to break.

'Our flights have been pushed back – Grace text me the details of the new flights and when we have to be there.' I whispered and Zed raised his eyebrow.

'How long we have left?'

'Just under twelve hours,'

'We have time then,' Zed said, rocking mine slightly. 'God, you're freezing, let's get the fireplace on,'

The fireplace Zed was referencing was electronic, so both of us sat around the fake fire, with realistic graphics and sounds thanks to modern technology, trying to warm me up. God could only know why I was so cold, but it gave me reasons for cuddles. I sat on the floor in my pyjamas which were fleece bottoms and a baggy fit grey shirt, with Zed behind me as I leant into his chest, his arms wrapped around me.

'You're scared,' Zed whispered.

'Of course, I'm scared, Vick isn't telling us anything and Grace is being so cautious it's stupid and I don't know why,'

'She called me, explaining why.' Zed said and I froze. 'It was only an hour or so ago; it's why she called me. She thought it would be better for us to know so we could be prepared. That's why I came over,'

'Oh God,' I whispered, shuddering as I saw Zed's colours turn to a light mauve of fear.

'Grace is very high up and can access paperwork that no one else can, not even Vick, and that's what you have to remember. She was just doing background research on both of us to get the paperwork for our student accounts and she had to find your adoption certificate, but when doing that she found a temporary link. This was set up by the adoption agency to a potential background, which included foster homes and then tracked it back to when they found you in the service yard. Somehow, and she refused to tell me how she found your medical history from after the house fire which had your parents in and found our your real name – she refused to tell me that too not that I asked. Basically, they think someone from your side of your biological family is trying to find you and track you down. It's finding a needle in a haystack, so they're finding every Savant in America who is going to college and tracking it down that way. They find someone they think it might be, take them, and they never show up again. That's why Grace demanded you came to England for university and Vick had to agree – if they found you we'd never get you back,' Zed whispered softly as I tensed up and the tears started. 'You'll be safe now we know,'

'How, Zed, how will I be safe?' I asked as he hugged me tightly, kissing my neck.

'We know what we're looking for, so we can protect you,'

'But then why were you on the list?' I shot back at him as he frowned, but still rocking me gently.

'Grace thinks they know about us being together, but without names. But she's confident they won't find you, don't worry.' Zed said, and I just remained silent. What could I reply? Someone in my previous life, who gave me up and left me for dead at a motorway house, was now trying desperately to find me. What would they do if they found me? Six people had gone missing within the last year that everyone thought was linked to my Uncle and Aunt who took me after my parents died, who abused me before leaving me. Would they keep going until they found me?

'I'll be fine,' I whispered to myself but just trying to calm myself. Zed lifted my shirt up slightly to rub my waist and stomach.

'You'll be fine baby,' Zed said as I leaned against him.

 _They were here – I couldn't put a name to their faces but their sneers was enough for me to know they're here for me. To take me back. I wasn't sure where I was, or where I was heading, but I ran through the woods, jumping over rocks that scraped my feet, stumbling on branches on the floor. I could hear their feet pummelling behind me right on my heel. I broke into a clearing with a large pond in the middle, which reflected the spotlights cast by the lamp posts._

 _'Don't bother, you knew we were coming for you,' the man said, his fingernails thick and yellow with scar tissue from years of heavy smoking. His jiggered teeth which would make him comical and ideal for Jeremy Kyle in the moonlight made him look more like a vampire._

 _'We'll take you back now, girlie,' the woman said, her skin sagging but her make-up prominent. She looked like she had aged fifty years from when I saw her when I was sixteen, and I found out about her. I edged towards the pond._

 _'Oh, don't do that. If you leave, we're just going to... dispose of that boyfriend of yours,' The man sneered and I gasped._

 _'You can't,'_

 _'Watch us, bitch,' the woman said._

 _'No, please, leave him alone,'_

 _'Come with us and we will,' The man said. 'You'll never see him again, but you know he'll move on. You've always had doubts about your worth. He'll find someone else, and you'll come back with us. Family sticks together.'_

 _'Blood is thicker than water,' The woman said, missing the "t" within the water and I cringed but I thought. I want Zed to be safe. It would kill me never to be with him and have the future we had idealised or had dreamed about. We'd never get married, have kids or become grandparents. We'd never see each other. But he'd be safe._

 _'Zed,' I whispered._

I jumped awake, immediately looking around to find Zed. I turned to my right and he was right there, topless, asleep. I must have fallen asleep earlier on when we were down by the fireplace and he carried me to bed. It took a moment to try and still my laboured breath, watching Zed calm. Knowing the dream wasn't real, and Zed was still here and no one had come to get me calmed down. He looked adorable, his hair going everywhere and lips slightly parted. I tried to listen to the house to hear is Sally and Simon were back, but nothing. Silence allowed me to understand they were out. Slowly, I settled back down into Zed's arms.

'Sky?' He asked after five or so minutes.

'Yeah?'

'You okay?' He asked softly, and I looked up at him. He was frowning at me, rubbing my lower back in small circles. I nodded, before moving up slightly and kissing him. The kiss deepened as he wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me in as I ran my hand up and down his toned body. I moaned slightly as the kiss got deeper and deeper, and I ended up climbing on top of Zed, his hand lifting up my shirt and pulling it over my head, a grin covering his face the entire time. He shook his head at me.

'You're brilliant, you know that?' He said and I just kissed him in reply. He wrapped his arms around my waist, rolling me over so he was on top, one hand on the bed keeping him up and the other hand running over my top half.

'Sky,' He said slightly sad. He knew I wasn't ready. But something had changed – I wanted him. I lusted for him. I love Zed to pieces, we both knew that. But I wanted to take it further.

'No, I want too,' I whispered in exhilaration.

'You sure?'

I didn't reply, I just kissed him again and carried on from where we left off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

'I can't believe you're leaving, Sky,' Tina said, sitting down on the bench next to me in the ghost town and I sighed. All of us had got over the emotional trauma of realising we're all going to colleges in different states and went through the tears, but when I told the girls both Zed and I had been transferred to South England for university in a completely different course structure (and education structure, too,) they lost it again. I understood why, though, as the lie Victor had approved for us to tell was along the lines of we got a full scholarship for international students for a new music programme. It lines up if anyone searches into it; the University of Reading offers a new music course starting in a few weeks time and would be the first class to graduate under it and they offered a foreign student scholarships for talented pupils coming to their university from around the globe. No one had to know the secret.

'I know,' I whispered in reply, taking a sip of my costa we had brought up here before checking the time on my phone. Grace had to text me the boarding passes, and I knew we had to leave at around two in the afternoon in order to get to Denver International for our private boarding but time seemed to be dragging until then. Both Zed and I had said goodbye to our families, packed out last belongings (our suitcases for clothes and our carry –on luggage for stuff we would need the second we touchdown in England) and they were in the back of the Jeep, Zed's old car. My parents had returned to work and with three hours to spare and not wanting any more tears, I had arranged to meet up with Tina and Zoe at the ghost town for one final gossip.

'England is so far away,'

'It just seemed right,' I suggested, shrugging loosely.

'So you're going to be living with Zed?' Zoe said, slinking over to the bench and falling onto it as she sat down in a fake sulk.

'Yeah, we've got our own place. His cousin lives locally as well, so at least I won't have to cook all the time,' I laughed hollowly and saw Zoe smile but Tina just looked at me.

'You know, you can't let Zed pressure you into... you know,'

'Woah, where'd this come from?' I asked awkwardly, taking another sip of the coffee.

'You two are close and have been since you got together, and you've told us you're not comfortable yet to do the naughty but you need to know just because you are moving in together and you'll be by yourself the majority of the time, it doesn't mean you have to be forced into loosing –'

'You make it sound like I haven't already,' I whispered into my cup and Tina's face drop.

'You haven't! When?'

'This morning,'

'What!'

'Keep your voice down, I'm pretty sure his family can hear you,' I mocked, pretending to look over Zoe's head, who was now up and her mouth dropped where I knew Zed's family lived six miles away from this location.

'We need details, for the record,' Zoe said, grinning to herself.

'Not happening,' I retorted, hugging myself tighter. The memories still lingered close to me.

'You're still on the pill, right? We're not going to be Godparents anytime soon?' Tina asked and I frowned at her in mock shock.

'Wow, that was up front,' I joked but I nodded, 'Yeah, still on the pill.'

'Good,'

'It's going to be weird knowing we can't just meet up for coffee like we normally do,' Zoe interrupted, looking at the scenic mountains.

The temperature was still incredibly warm for early September and I was more than warm in my Levi's I had put on for travelling. The flight took nine hours, and even though I planned to sleep for some of it, I had a feeling I would be too nervous the entire time. The news of the case lingered on my mind, but some more superficial fears had set in. What if I didn't like the university? What if I didn't make any friends? What if I hated the course? I was so far away from family I couldn't just shook back for a week break or the weekend, and I would have to deal with half an hour phone calls to my parents or Skype sessions to save on the phone bill. What if Grace didn't like me when she got to know me a bit better? She had worked hard and long shifts to make sure everything was sorted for the time we would come over, and had even offered to fly to Denver to fly back to make sure we felt safe. Why she was doing this confused me. I had never been a part of a loving family, and even after my adoption I felt left out of Sally's large family. Any cousins I had I only ever exchanged a sentence or two at family gatherings. I had no idea cousins could be close – but I guess in Savant families it might be different. From what I could tell from Zed, Grace was one of Zed's favourite cousins because she wasn't like the rest. She stood up for what she believed in and would fight for it. Not only that, she's a trained fighter and doesn't give two shits about anything. But she saw things rationally and could take herself out from the equation, so whenever something big happened in the Benedict's, he could always ask Grace for an outside view and it would act like reasoning to Zed. This was before I was around, and calmed him down. I had more than a few things to thank Grace for, and even though she only asked for a Nando's in repayment I was forever indebted to her.

'I don't want to leave,' I whispered out to the mountains when I felt a hand on my shoulder, but the weight was familiar. Zed came over and sat down next to me on the bench, taking my coffee from the table for a sip, before grimacing.

 _You like your coffee girly,_ Zed joked as Tina and Zoe eyeballed him intensely. _I'm assuming you told them, and that's why I'm getting the death stare?_

 _I'm afraid so. I thought you wouldn't mind._

 _Of course not – as long as you're happy it's fine._

'We need to leave soon to avoid the traffic, baby,' Zed said to me, kissing my cheek.

'I guess this is goodbye for now, then,' I said to the girls and they smiled but I saw them tearing up. I gave Zed a look and he smiled, getting up from the bench.

'See you two around,' Zed said incredibly buddy-like before walking over to the Jeep, which he left on the trail. The girls said goodbye to him before turning back to me. We all got up in sync before hugging.

'We'll be back for winter, right?'

'Of course,' I said. 'None of us have a choice,'

'Sky, if you need us just call us and we'll arrange everything. Just because you live with him now you can still have arguments and fall outs. If you need us, call us.' Tina started lecturing me and I nodded. They thought we were just high school lovers, and they had no idea about the Soulfinder element. They thought we might one day break up, but I knew that we wouldn't and we were destined to be together. It was more than just a story like I thought it once was. It made sense and I wouldn't want it any differently. I blinked, seeing the aura's around the girls; the glittering silver of friendship that was permanently there and the soft blue edge of sadness.

'We'll keep in touch through Whatsapp yeah?' Zoe said and I nodded, wiping away a tear that I didn't realise had begun to fell. 'And we can group Skype as well, and we'll meet up in the winter break,'

'I don't want to go,' I whispered, crying again, covering my face with the palm of my hands. There was a slight conversation over my head and I heard the gravel move as someone walked over it. Zed wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest as he kissed my forehead.

'We're going to go Sky, we'll miss you and we love you – we'll talk later,' Tina said and with that, my best friends were gone and I was left in Zed's chest crying.

'Come on, love,' Zed said incredibly tender, sitting me back down on the bench and passing me my coffee. 'That'll be easier than you think,' Zed said.

'Easy for you to say, you have a family the other side of the pond.'

'So do you, in fact, I remember Sally telling me we have to go to your grandparents for a Sunday roast as her Yorkshires are divine? I don't know what that means and I think Yorkshire is a place but hey, you'll have to teach me the British slang,' Zed mocked his hand on my knee. 'We have each other, which is what really matters. We can be there for each other,'

'Sorry, it's hard for you too,'

'Yeah, but you're a lot more upset about it. It's fine, Sky, it's not a competition. We can both find it upsetting.' Zed said, pulling me towards his chest. 'It's a new start for both of us; I think after everything that's happened in the last two years we need that new start.'

Eventually, Zed comforted me enough to stop my tears and pull me up, taking me to the car. I guess he was right – we needed a new start together and hopefully, this would provide us with that.

The flight was mediocre at a push – not that I was awake for much of it. I had fallen asleep near enough the second we were at altitude until we started to head over England's waters, and Zed just lets me sleep on his arm. I had woken up to the sound of girls talking to Zed, and like the jealous human I was, I had to make sure they weren't flirting with him. I wasn't overly surprised they were – he was incredibly good looking and was the type that would make shy girls swoon and more confident girls flirt with him. But he had given up on his old days where he would flirt back, and now just politely answered their questions all whilst hugging me to my side.

'Oh, so you're American,' One of the girls said to him and Zed made a slight noise of anger, and I felt his hand gently brush my arm.

'Er, yeah,' He replied back.

'I have an Uncle who's American,' The girl said and I frowned. How dare she hit on my boyfriend?

'That's nice,' Zed said and I gently half-opened one of my eyes to see the people next to Zed's chair. Typical – they looked like the tourists that would be hitting on someone. They had the short denim shorts which would be classed as underwear if they didn't have the slightly ripped, laddered threads at the bottom. A white vest top was tucked into the shorts, with some Ray-Bans hanging from the top and a flowered kimono over the top. She was leaning on the back of the shirts and when she saw me waking up she gave me a dirty look.

'Going anywhere nice, then?' She said, trying to keep Zed away from noticing I'm awake.

'Er, just to see family,'

'Oh, in London?'

'Yeah,' Zed said hesitantly.

'Well, you can always come over my flat for dinner, if you want. If you have a mobile number I can text you the address,' The girl said and I immediately sat up straight and Zed looked at me, smiling softly before kissing my head.

 _If you want, you can shoot this one down,_ Zed softly told me as he held my hand, rubbing my finger softly.

'We're good, thanks,' I went for the polite approach as Zed smiled at me.

'I wasn't asking you,' the girl replied and something in Zed flipped.

'I don't care if you were asking me or her, we're not going.' Zed argued back and the girl looked mortified.

'Jeez, I was just trying to be nice,' She sulked and walked back down the plane, and Zed turned to hug me a bit better and kissing me softly.

'Good sleep?' He whispered, turning slightly so he blocked out the rest of the plane and flower bitch too. I rubbed my eye.

'I don't think you slept very well last night, did you?' Zed asked.

'Not overly, I kept waking up. You didn't either, did you? You came to mine stupidly early in the morning and had to stay with me as I wimped out and started crying,' I mumbled, embarrassed.

'Sky, love, this is a massive change for both of us. It's okay to be scared, alright? You found out the people who abused you after your parents died are trying to find you, that's a completely legitimate thing to be terrified of. It's okay to be scared, love,' Zed said softly, finding my hand again. 'But I'll be there, and Grace and Jack will be within minutes if we need them, but if they think I'm leaving your side they are deadly wrong,'

'I love you Zed,' I whispered before I saw flower girl walk back up the aeroplane aisle with a piece of paper in her hand. She got to the side of Zed's seat and I raised an eyebrow at her. Zed frowned slightly before he realised who must have made a reappearance.

'I love you too, Sky,' He replied, kissing me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

'Zed! Sky!'

We heard someone call as we walked through the arrivals halls, dragging our suitcases behind us and our hands linked together like we normally do. The arrivals hall was full of people behind ropes waiting to picked up their loved ones and I knew Jack and Grace were waiting for us to take us to our new home for the three or four years – that was how much I knew about the course – but I couldn't remember what they looked like or how to find them in a crowd. Zed stopped for a second, scanning the room before smiling at someone.

'Where are they?' I asked Zed and he nodded to a small girl who was smiling at us behind the rope and I immediately realised Grace was watching us. Grace was the same height as me – five foot nothing. She was slim but was relatively muscley but not in an obvious way. Her cheeks were chubby but it just made her look younger – especially with her blonde hair tied up and freckles obvious from across the room. The only thing that changed since the last time I saw her was a very slight bump under a white shirt. We walked towards Grace as she ducked under the rope and Zed left the suitcase a few feet away from him and hugged Grace in a bear hug, lifting her up.

'Grace, something you're meaning to tell us,' Zed said and she smiled, looking down at her converse for a second.

'Yeah, I'm pregnant,' Grace said to the floor and Zed hugged her to his side as I was swamped with guilt – she was up all hours of the night, doing God know's what to make sure everything was okay by the time we got here and she was pregnant the entire time? Surely that level of stress can't be good for the baby?

'How far? And when did you expect to tell us?' Zed said as Grace hugged me – an extremely mother like hug that made me feel at home. 'Where's Jack?'

'One question at a time, kid,' Grace said, taking my suitcase from my hand before Zed walked over, taking back the bag. Grace frowned at him with her face saying something along the lines of "what the fuck" but Zed took it anyway, prying it out of her closed hands. 'Sixteen weeks, expected to tell you when you got over here and everyone else when you're settled down, Jack's in the car by pick up's. Someone has to remain in the car so we don't have to pay,' Grace said.

'Why aren't you telling anyone?'

'Well, I've told everyone this side of the pond. If I told Saul or Karla or any of your brothers, they wouldn't let me do anything. I'll tell them – eventually.' Grace said but they continued to walk on having given up trying to get my hand luggage back.

'You shouldn't have done all of this when you're in the first trimester,' Zed protested, 'It's not good for the baby,'

'Okay but firstly – it's the second trimester now. I was in the second trimester when all of this happened because it was the day after the twelve-week scan, so ha.' Grace said back. 'But good for you, Sky, he actually knows stuff about babies. More than Jack does, I can tell you that for free,' She came back over to my side, nudging me slightly and I smile softly. 'You... okay?' Grace asked me, holding my hand slightly in a comforting gesture and I nodded. I wasn't too sure what her gift was but she was looking at me with deep concern, and I just shrugged.

'I'll be fine,' I lied and Zed looked at me, smiling slightly before continuing to look around Gatwick, trying to find the exit as Grace had dropped back to talk to me. She continued to give me a concerned look as my head started prickling.

'Find me later alone,' Grace said, squeezing my hand before walking off in a different direction to Zed. Comically Zed turned on the spot to come and find us, wheeling three suitcases behind him. I hadn't stopped noticing the glances he was getting from young teens in arrivals. Some group of girls giggled as he walked past them, and an elder woman turned around to get a good glance but Zed continued to look at the door, before looking at me and smiling.

 _You're staring at me again._ He said softly.

 _So is everyone else, like those girls._ I said with jealousy and Zed looked over his shoulder and the girls started giggling as they thought he had eyeballed him.

 _They're nothing compared to you._

 _Good save Zed, glad you learnt how to chat up females._ Grace interrupted our conversation.

 _I forgot to warn you, you can hear telepathy._ Zed retorted in a way of explanation.

 _I can indeed – come on, let's not keep Jack waiting,_ Grace said, walking out of the arrivals halls and heading to the boot of a very nice Audi, opening it immediately without hesitation. I saw the guy in the front seat looking in the rearview mirror, before finishing off his text and putting his phone down, getting out the car to help. Grace picked up my suitcase – which was about twenty odd kilograms and left it on the tailgate for a second. Zed darted forward, taking the suitcase completely whilst having one arm around his cousin's shoulder, pulling her out of the way slightly. Jack, Grace's fiancee, darted forward and moved her out of the way, hugging her for a second before taking the suitcase.

'Grace, you agreed not to pick up heavy things,' Jack said in the smoothest Australian accent known to man. Jack was, in shorter words, incredibly hot. Australian from birth, he had that naturally tanned skin, his dark blonde hair was quiffed up and his ice blue eyes were shining as he pulled Grace into his side. They were the beautiful couple that would probably advertise aftershave together. Even though Jack had nothing on Zed – I could admire his beauty. Their child will be beautiful.

'That's not heavy,' Grace protested as Zed laid down his suitcase in the boot, before turning around and frowning at Grace.

'The midwife said anything above five kilograms is out of the question,' Jack said, hugging her and I noticed his hand on her abdomen and smiled softly. I wanted children one day. Zed looked at me frowning and I blushed as I realised he read my thoughts. He mouthed "one day" to me and I grinned.

'The midwife is talking out of her a-'

'I'm not having any of that either, Gracie. They know more than you do, it is their job to piss you off but keep the baby safe,' Jack argued back and she sulked slightly. 'Got it?'

'Fine.' Grace said and Jack kissed her on the head before Jack came and picked up the other suitcase, putting it next to the other one, before throwing out hand luggage in on top and closing the boot.

'Earley, then?' Jack asked, rubbing his hands together before walking to the driver's seat. I followed him as Zed started to talk to Grace who went around to the passenger side. 'So, er, you're Sky right?' Jack said to me and I nodded, seeing his aura. It was mostly love for Grace, a slight tinge of awkwardness and guilt. Did I frown – guilt? And within the second I went to probe why he felt guilty he started shielding and I couldn't see anything anymore.

'Yeah, it's Sky,' I said, slightly baffled as he opened the door for me.

'Nice to meet you,' He said softly as I got in the car. When the door was clear, he closed it and got into the driver's seat.

'Jeez, Grace, how much are they paying you in the government?' Zed asked, marvelling at the car.

'Well, we've been shoved in the same protection scheme as you which is why I had to move down here, and Jack joined and as he is now driving an hour and a bit each day to and from London they gave us a car upgrade,' Grace explained, pulling the seatbelt on.

'Me a car upgrade, you've still got your shitty Clio,' Jack joked, pressing the button to start the engine. The Audi happily responded and Jack found a spot within the traffic and drove out to the open road. Grace leaned forward and programmed the SatNav to our new home address.

'Shut up, don't diss my Clio,' Grace joked.

'It's awful, Grace, it's only got three doors. How will that be practical when the baby comes?' Jack said, putting his hand on her knee.

'It'll be fine – we're keeping her!' Grace protested, her hand over his. They were adorable together.

 _How did they meet?_ I asked Zed.

 _Grace and my cousins – her two brothers – went for a surfing holiday in Eastern Australia. Jack was a lifeguard down there. He had kind of hoped to save Grace but she's part fish, so he kept manipulating the water – which is his gift – and Grace called every move spot on. He had to confront her after that and wa-la. Three years later, here we go._

 _Better than our story._

 _You hit me with a bag and told me where to stick it._

 _You also climbed my apple tree at two in the morning._

 _Sky, that's a thing now. Your apple tree is a good climbing frame._ Zed said and I smiled at him. I waited until Jack was sat at a set of traffic lights before moving into the middle seat, doing on the middle belt as Grace watched me in the rearview mirror to lean into his chest, using my hand to hide a yawn.

'Sky, go to sleep it had been a long day for you both – it's about an hour's drive, we'll wake you up when we're there,' Jack said smoothly to me, and he had the charismatic tone that would send children to sleep and could persuade the elderly to do a skinny dip for charity. 'I'll avoid the potholes if you wish,'

'You're avoiding any rough terrain with your new baby,' Grace murmured and Jack rolled his eyes at her.

I sighed as I looked at Zed and he just nodded slightly, kissing the tip of my nose as I rested my head back into his chest and slowly fell asleep to Jack and Grace's friendly banter – but one thing remained in my mind. Why did Jack felt so guilty – and more importantly why did he cover it up when I went to investigate?

'Sky, love,' Zed gently said to me, gently rubbing my arm so I didn't jump when I woke up like I normally do. 'Come on, let's get up shall we?' He joked as I finally opened my eyes. Zed had got out the car, leaving the passenger open as he crouched down to wake me up. 'Hey,' he said gently, leaning forward to kiss me as I got up, rubbing my eyes. 'We're here, oh, careful beautiful,'

I tripped on the uneven surface as I got out the car and looked around. The only word I could describe the place we were staying was middle class. We were at the end of a road which flattened out to make a car park, where a Corsa was parked in front of us, and the other cars were Porshe's and Mercedes. The house that had the doors open and said "SOLD STC" on the front was of a decent size and was part of a cluster house – a series of small houses in one property but all having a garden and you didn't have any shared items apart from a wall. I went to say something to Zed, but was interrupted by some purring and looked down at my feet. A cat stood right next to me and started walking over my feet, rubbing his side against my legs and Zed's. Zed laughed slightly, and I smiled as he bent down and picked the cat up.

'Java,' Zed said, holding the cat like a baby and rubbing his tummy. 'It's the neighbour's cat,'

I leaned forward slightly and started to fuss the cat, rubbing her tummy as Zed put his arm around me, hugging me tightly. I noticed that Zed was looking down at me with that small smile on his face which was just warming.

'You look so tired,' Zed said.

'I haven't really been sleeping well since Vick told us,' I confessed to him.

'I knew you were struggling, why didn't you tell me?'

'What could you have done?' I asked Zed.

'Been there for you, tried to make it easier for you. I wouldn't have left you alone when you had nightmares that's for certain,' Zed said and I shrugged. 'I just wish you would have told me, Sky, I thought you would have,' He said softly as I continued to fuss the cat.

'I didn't want to make it harder on you. You had to leave your entire family and the course you tried so hard to get into and succeeded because of me and my past,' I whispered to him, frowning slightly.

'I still have family here, like my twat of a cousin who makes really good chicken and yeah, I did want to go to Denver but I was considering transferring to New York because I couldn't bear to be away from you, Sky.' Zed confessed, putting down the cat before holding my both of my hands, swinging them between us.

'You... were?'

'Yeah, you can ask Uri and Will if you want too, they were trying to help me. I couldn't even deal with the thought of being so far away from you. This is a silver lining in disguise, because I get to live with you for the next few years, be in your classes and never leave your side,' Zed whispered, kissing the spot between my eyebrows where a frequent frown mark had gathered over the last few marks. 'Let's get moved in, unpack, and get some take away,' Zed said gently, kissing me again and hugging me to him as he closed the door to the Audi and walked down the steep path to the house.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Before the sun had set, we were near enough completely unpacked. More by luck than anything. Well, I suppose with a total of four of us all working on unpacking boxes into their corresponding rooms, we didn't have much work to do. Zed and Jack had kept arguing with Grace about lifting heavy items, something even I had started doing, so they dumped her to do the bathroom where all items weighed less than a kilogram. She had then helped me with the bedroom whilst the boys were downstairs doing all the slightly manlier stuff.

'I vote KFC,' Grace said, gently rubbing her bump as I smiled softly at her. We were all on the settee, Zed to my left and Grace to the right, her legs across mine. Jack was in the kitchen washing down the worktops from sawdust where he and Zed decided they wanted to add more cabinet doors.

'What's KFC?' Zed asked, leaning forward to see her as she rolled her eyes.

'You just can't get the staff nowadays can you,' Grace joked to me. 'Chicken and chips, Zed, take away chicken and chips,'

'Chips? You have chips with chicken?' Zed said and even I frowned at him for a second before realising he had only been in England for a few weeks when Yves found Phee, so he thought we meant chips in reference to crisps.

'You didn't train him in English very well, did you Sky?' Grace said, sitting up and moving her shoes telekinetically to her, leaning down to throw them and tie the laces.

'I didn't realise he was this bad,' I laughed gently, leaning into Zed. 'Fries, love,' I said to him softly and he nodded in realisation.

'Sky, wanna come with?' Grace asked and I nodded. I knew she said she'd come and find me later to ask why I was so down at the moment but I didn't quite know what to say to her. I don't think she'd understand. Either way, I pulled on my converse over the top and Zed frowned at me.

 _I'll tell you later,_ I whispered to Zed and Grace raised her eyebrow at me. I forgot she could hear telepathy. I cut off before Zed could reply.

'Who's car you wanna take?'

'Er, not mine,' I said to Grace and she nodded. Jack came out to the door and chucked a set of keys at her.

'Oh, you're throwing the Audi keys now?' She joked with him and he smiled happily at her, winking slightly.

'I'll have my normal, love,' Jack said to her and she nodded opening the door to chauffer me out. As I walked out, she followed me and slammed the door closed, before jogging up the path and getting in the driver's seat of the Audi, she leaned across to unlock my door as I got it. Without saying anything she drove off, leading out from the small road we were on, onto another small road, before indicating to pull up. She stuck the handbrake on before she sat in the car.

'So what's up, Sky?' She asked me gently and for some reason, I just broke down crying. All the stress since our Spain holiday came collapsing down on me and I broke. Grace, bless her, came straight into the action and pulled out a packet of tissues and started hugging me slightly awkwardly across the controls. 'Oh, please don't because then I'll start –'

'Sorry, I don't even know why I'm crying,' I whispered to her.

'This has been a massive change, Sky, you've moved out from your parents and into a strange area with your boyfriend. I've done that part, and I regretted it for two months because I missed home – and I only lived thirty minutes away. But you also know why you've been forced to move. It's okay to be like this, Sky,' Grace said to me softly as I continued to cry. 'But for the sake of the boys back at home, get it together and stop crying so I won't cry so I can go and get us food,' Grace joked and I smiled.

'I feel like I'm letting Zed down, he's going through it as well,'

'He's not doing as well as you think either, Sky, he was on the phone with me about thirty hours ago stressing,' Grace explained.

'Why?'

'About you, your lamp. He was terrified of how you're doing and he knows you've been hiding it from him too, and he's just terrified that you're not okay. You need to talk to him,' Grace said softly. 'Listen to the pregnant woman here, she gives alright advice,'

'But what would I say to him?'

'I dunno, ask if he's okay. Tell him you're scared, tell him you don't want to be alone. If Zed won't listen to you, I don't know what else to do. I have known that boy obviously since he was born and he is as nice and happy as he has ever been. We've always been close, but Zed hasn't always been this nice. You met him when he was an asshole, correct?'

'Yeah?' I asked through my tears as Grace gave me a pack of tissues from Jack's Audi cubby holes.

'He was still being a nice asshole then. Want to know why? When you rocked up at school he had the biggest crush on you ever. So he was attempting to be nice. He was so much worse than anyone thinks and that why you were such a good thing. You've made him so nice and understanding to the point we have deep conversations about views on topical things like the Government or the President or views on teenage pregnancy. He is so nice and understanding and it's awfully upsetting that you can't see that because you've never seen both sides and you've never seen him when he was his moody asshole.' Grace explained to me softly as I nodded, sniffling away in her fiancée's new car. If Jack had seen me cry in his Audi he might have killed me. Grace, however, doesn't and just looks at me full of concern. 'I'll mention to him you're not holding up too good,'

'He'll think I'm stupid,' I shook my head.

'He'll think you have reason and a sense of morality. If you could just move away from your family and friends without a sense of sadness or guilt you'd be a sociopath and then we'd have bigger issues,' Grace said and I smiled slightly.

'My cousin – he's a dick but he loves you to absolute pieces and he wants you to be happy. Throughout this whole thing, he kept asking me if you're okay and if you'd be safe – never about him. You are his world, much like Jack is mine. You just need to talk to him. He'll understand completely, but he won't ever understand if you don't tell him, alright?' Grace said and I nodded.

I could tell she would be the best mother her baby could ever have – she already had the maternal caring tone about her voice which just screamed "I AM A MUM TO BE AND PROUD" and she had calmed me down in record time with very wise words.

'I wish you knew how nice you are to talk too,' I whispered to her.

'I didn't get the nickname of mother goose for nothing,' Grace laughed softly, starting the engine before pulling away again.

'How did you meet Jack – I couldn't help but notice he's Australian,' I asked her, wanting to change the topic to know more about her apart from what Zed had told me.

'Me and my two brothers – Nick and Ben – we were in Australia for some conference and we had the day off so we went down to a surfers beach a few miles from Sydney for a surfing day. Us three had always loved surfing and water and we were all basically fish, we would thrive in the water like Zed does to snow. We used to always go down to the coast in England – it was about an hour drive – just to surf. So Australia is known for good surf, we were buzzing. Went down, got changed, noticed one of the lifeguards was staring at me. Well, both of them was but one was a bit more than others. Didn't take too much notice, but as I walked past the taller one panicked and dropped his shirt so I thought to piss him off I would fling it at him with as much sand as I could. I did a good job of pissing him off, and little did I know that said lifeguard was Jack, my Soulfinder, and by pissing him off it meant his gift was loose to say, and he can manipulate weather, so he tried his best to try and drown me and my two brothers. We were all fine – we surfed each of the ten-foot waves he made in our direction. We got back to the beach, laughing and my brothers went to go and get the bags from the car and I sat on the beach. Jack came over to yell at me, I told him where to stick it. He telepathically told me to fuck off, and I telepathically told him to walk into a brick wall and here we are two years later,' Grace explained, driving back down the roads before slowing down next to one. 'We live there if you're wondering,'

'That's a hell of a story,' I laughed gently and she shrugged.

'It would never be easy with both of us in the picture,' Grace said. 'Same with you and Zed – two completely different people. I mean... you're nice,' she joked, pulling out onto the main road.

'Do you think this case will blow over,' I asked her and she sat there in silence for a minute or two.

'I have no idea.' She said honestly. 'Someone has told the people that you're eighteen, in America, going to college with your boyfriend who's also a Savant which is why the manhunt for you has started up. I will personally kill the person who did that to you. I don't know if they'll give up because they can't find you, or keep going until they do. But I don't think they will. You changed continents – they won't ever find you now,'

'But you can't be certain,'

'Nothing is ever certain,' Grace simply said, killing into the car park. 'Do you want to stay in the car? I shouldn't be too long,' She said and I nodded. I was already in my pyjamas and didn't exactly feel like it was a good idea to get changed. Grace opened the door, pocketing the car key and closed all the doors on lock with the central locking as she wandered across the road and into the KFC. I could see her the entire time, waiting patiently in the queue.

I looked forward back to the busy junction as I thought of what Grace had told me. _Nothing is ever certain._ Whilst it wasn't the best thing she could have told me it was truthful; they couldn't suddenly assure me that nothing would happen because that would be straight up lying. But if Grace thought we were safe enough to be over here I had trusted her.

Focusing on the stream of traffic and the number of removal vans or hire vans going down the road to my left I could only assume the university would be down there. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that I would be living with Zed for the next few years. Living with my Soulfinder. I knew Tina had mentioned moving in with Nelson when they go to Denver college together but I seemed hesitant to even say the same with Zed. Even though we were Soulfinders and we were always meant to be together I knew he was so far out of my league. Everyone at school even agreed with me. Something made me do a double take on the traffic.

On the side of a van heading towards the university was the normal logo of the rental hire, but had spray paint writing on the side. I read it once, twice but it only had an impact on the third time I read it.

 ** _We know you're here. We're coming to find you! :)_**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I couldn't cope with what I just saw but I realized it had to be a coincidence. Grace had just told me she doesn't know who told the people who are looking for me are, or even why they felt the need, but the information was so vague that it was near enough impossible to track us over here. The message was spray painted on and could mean anything. It could be a bunch of young teens trying to be funny. It might not even be meant for me. Chances are, it wasn't and it was just a massive coincidence but it hit home. What if they were here, coming for me? I couldn't put Zed at risk just for being with me. I wasn't that harsh. Zed was already at risk constantly because of what his family was doing, and he couldn't be under more risk now he's with me. I would willingly hand myself in if Zed would be safe. Before Grace had even made it to the counter I decided I wouldn't tell her but I would mention it to Zed. He would tell me to tell Grace but I couldn't put her under stress, not when she was pregnant.

Was it a bad time to mention how broody I was and how much I wanted my own child (despite not wanting my own baby yet – if that makes sense?) so when Grace has her baby I would be so willing to babysit or even take their baby off their hand for a few hours. Not only that; Zed was incredible with children to the point it was attractive. Zed's cousins weren't all older; I think only Grace's family and four other cousins were older, the rest were younger and range from sixteen to a few months. I remember once, one of Zed's Uncles had visited with his Soulfinder and seven kids, three of which were under the age of six, and Zed was playing with them all, pretending to be an airplane and I just watched him in admiration. He was incredibly hot.

'Whoa, let's done tone those thoughts of my cousin please,' Grace said and I jumped in my seat. She climbed in, pulling her baggy shirt over her bump before handing me the food.

'Sorry – you were miles away,' She said.

'I was just thinking,'

'Oh, I know,' Grace joked, waiting for me to put my seatbelt on again. 'Congratulations on finally doing the...'

'Please stop,' I mumbled awkwardly.

'I was congratulating you! We can get awkward if you want,' Grace joked.

'No,'

'Just be safe. We can't have two babies in the next year,' Grace finally started the engine before driving out of the box and into the main road again where the van had said the graffiti words only minutes before.

'Did you decide to have a baby so young?'I asked her and she paused before shaking her head.

'No, she was an accident,' She told me.

'She?'

'I'm totally confident it's a girl, but Jack seems to think it's a boy.'

'Right – how did it even happen? You don't seem the type of person who would risk something like this happening?'

'I wasn't. I was always on the contraceptive pill since I was fourteen. I was not doing anything back then but my lady things were so irregular and I was so ill whenever I had them that I used to throw up and pass out and my abdomen would swell to stupid sizes and I used to get a high temperature that the doctors reluctantly put me on it. It was only an adolescent form of the pill because it wasn't for contraceptive. However, after I met Jack I went back and told them to change it to the adult version so... you know. I weaned myself of the adolescent pill and the adult one seemed fine, nothing happened for two years until a few months ago when I stopped the pill after a month like I normally do and nothing. Waited a few days and still no bleeding. Went back on the pill when I was meant to and got half way and came down incredibly ill after taking the tablet and Jack just wanted me to do a pregnancy test just in case because it was more obvious to him than to me – missed period and sickness at half eight at night. I protested, but did it anyway and it came back positive. Aborting the baby never even crossed our minds; it was inevitable to happen at some point. He believed that if God made it happen this way it's meant to be. I'm atheist as shit and just think the pill failed,' Grace explained.

'When is she due?'

'End of February,' Grace said, grinning.

'How is this going to work with you in university?'

'I have already sorted it; I'm going to leave after exams are done in January and stay off until the end of the school year and just go in for three lectures a week and the exams. I've also got sixteen months full maternal leave from the Government, and Jack's got eleven months full paternal leave so we can both spend a lot of time with the baby,'

I smiled slightly, realizing how excited she was. However, February could not seem further away if it tried.

'So you have three weeks until your first semester and lecture – what are you going to do at the time?'

'I guess just try and get everything sorted out. Go clothes shopping, meet up with my old friends in London,' I shrugged. I hadn't even got past today and she was asking me for my diary for the next three weeks.

'I have a spa trip for two from Jack's parents for "the baby" and I have no one to go with. Apparently, it's a girl thing. Completely paid for, with fluffy robes and cucumber and face masks – want to come with?' Grace asked.

'Have you been to a spa before?'

'I was dragged along with Jack's sisters once and it was an interesting experience to say at least. They both thought it would be funny to tell the lady that I wanted a fertility spa treatment and they were horrified when it was that week I conceived,' Grace joked and my jaw dropped.

'Don't do that to me,' I asked her and she laughed, driving back down the roads to my house.

'I can always take you back there if you don't like university life,' Grace happily joked and I hit her arm as she laughed. She pulled up in front of the house, which now had to the SOLD STC sign taken down and next to the shed around the side of the house and the door been closed. The boys in the time that we were gone had put the lights on and the home had started to seem like – well – home. Grace done all the little bits in the car before taking the two bags of take-out chicken from me, getting out the side of the car with the drinks and the rest of the items including napkins and ketchup pots.

We walked down the slope to the front of the house and Zed was already at the door, holding it open for us.

'Karla was right, you do smell food from a mile away,' Grace joked as she walked in, elbowing him slightly as he grinned and nodded. I handed him the rest of the bits and hovered in the conservatory. Zed frowned at me for a second before putting down the items on the sofa, before coming out with me and closing the door. He immediately held his arms out and I walked into him, leaning against him.

'Sorry,' I whispered.

'Why are you apologizing?' Zed whispered softly, holding me tightly as he ran his hand up and down my spine.

'I've been acting like this is all about me,' I mumbled.

'I don't care, you matter completely to me. I'm perfectly content if you're around. This is a bigger transition for you than it is for me,' Zed said softly.

'All of your brothers are in Colorado. I made you move away from your family,' I whispered.

'None of this would have happened if I didn't harass you two years ago, so really I made you move away from your family. Look, Sky, we can go back and visit whenever we have a week off or whenever they want to come over to us. It doesn't matter where we are in location to them, they are still our family and we will still see them. The bonus of this is we get to stay with each other and there are no parents to linger around awkwardly,' Zed whispered. 'You're just incredibly tired, Sky, that's why you're this upset,'

'I know,'

'Look, why don't we have KFC, tell Grace and Jack to bugger off and go to bed? We'll sort tomorrow out when it comes,' Zed told me, gently rocking me side to side and I nodded.

'You can't just tell them to bugger off after all they've done, though,' I whispered and with me in one arm, Zed opened the door.

'Grace, after KFC can you bugger off so we can sleep,' Zed bluntly asked his cousin and I was shocked; I would never say that to my family. I guess I was never really close with my cousins. They never liked me because of the fact I was adopted.

'Hell yeah, we're going bedtimes too,' Grace called back and Zed just gave me a look as I hugged him. I would have collapsed instantly if it wasn't for him. I wouldn't have been able to make it this far, that's for sure.

'Come on, baby, you need to eat. I know full well you haven't been eating well for the last three weeks, and that was before Xav had a moan at me about it,' Zed said softly.

'He noticed?' I mumbled.

'Of course, he noticed, he noticed when you stood on a Lego block, he'll notice when you don't eat for three weeks.' Zed joked and I frowned. God damn his family and their gifts. I frowned at both Jack and Grace – I knew Jack could manipulate weather and Grace could hear telepathy but Zed only ever told me that hearing telepathy was a side thing to her. I wondered what her other gift was. I didn't know her well enough to just ask.

'Chicken is going cold, you two, get it together,' Jack jokingly called, walking past Grace touching her bump and kissing the crown of her head in a loving way as she smiled back, dishing up our take away onto plates.

That night both of us were in our new King-sized bed, laying next to each other in our versions of pajamas; Zed in just his boxers and myself in an oversized shirt and underwear. I lay on my side, on his shoulder like I normally do as he had one hand on top of my arm that was on his chest, and the other lifting my shirt up slightly to rest on the curve of my hip.

'I saw something on the side of a van,' I whispered to him.

'What did it say?'

'It said "we know you are here, we're coming to get you," but it's probably just coincidence.' I said and Zed tightened his grip on my waist.

'Did you mention it to Grace?'

'It was too much of a coincidence Zed. How would they know that I would wait in the car in that exact car park space at that time? KFC was a last minute choice. It wasn't meant for me, but I still panicked,' I whispered.

'I guess so. I just have to keep you safe,' Zed said.

'I need to keep you safe too,' I mumbled back and he nodded.

'If we stick together we should be alright,'

'What are we doing tomorrow? I asked him and he sighed slightly.

'Jack said something about going to the bank to set up our student accounts properly and we probably need to go home shopping and clothes shopping. There's the England equivalent to Wal-Mart a five-minute drive away for food, but to get everything else we would probably have to go to the Reading town center.' Zed said and I nodded. 'Look, Sky, stop worrying about everything and get some sleep. You look tired,'

'I can't sleep,' I told him and he sighed slightly.

'Your scaring me Sky, you need to relax and calm down slightly.' Zed whispered, rolling me over so I was on the bed and he was leaning over the top of me. 'You can't keep on like this,' He gently kissed my forehead but I could see his normal gold shine now was tinted with the charcoal marl of concern.

'I'm fine,'

'Don't lie, Sky,'

I sighed before rubbing my eyes and Zed settled down beside me.

'I love you Sky,' Zed whispered as I closed my eyes and mumbled a reply into his chest but I was already too asleep to speak.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I slowly forced myself to resurface around midday, jet lag having nothing on sheer exhaustion. I yawned, rolling over on the double bed where Zed had disappeared and grabbed my phone from the side cabinet. Laying in wait was several messages from my parents, asking how we're settling in and what we had done do the house already, several other messages from my group chat with Tina and Zoe, which lead from them asking about Zed and the house to them talking to each other as well a reply back from one of my old friends who lived in London, asking when I was next free to meet them in Richmond.

'I didn't realise you were awake,' Zed whispered as he came into the bedroom, gently closing the door behind him. I simply nodded as he sat down on the bed next to me, gently resting his hand on my lower chest. 'How'd you feel?'

'Better,' I said, sitting up as Zed put his arm around me, grinning. He gently leaned forward to kiss me before pulling me onto his lap.

'It's nice outside, a lot nicer than I thought it would be. I thought you said it rains all the time?'

'It does,' I joked as Zed rolled his eyes at me. We sat in silence for a moment, my head against his shoulder as he gently rested his chin on me. Zed sighed slightly.

'I can't believe Grace is pregnant, I literally grew up with her. She's known me since I was baby, she can't be having her own baby,' Zed said.

'She'll be a good Mum though,' I said back and he nodded.

'Of course she will, but still.' Zed mumbled back, before kissing my neck and pushing me back down onto the bed. He then laid beside me, running his hand along my hip. 'I've grown up with her, she was like my big sister, she's not allowed a baby,'

'I guess you should have told Jack that,' I said and Zed pulled a face before running his hand down my face.

'Let's not think of that,' Zed whispered.

'Don't worry, I got details last night,' I simply said and Zed pulled a face playing with my hair. 'What are we doing today?'

'I think we're just going to go into the town centre, do a bit of shopping, just get used to the area,' Zed whispered, pulling me on top of him. 'Get used to the freedom,' He whispered breathily into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He started to kiss me, pulling me a bit tighter and gripping me tightly as he started to lift up my shirt, gently rubbing the small of my back. I never knew why I thought to live with Zed would be so tricky; currently, it seemed perfect and extremely relaxing.

About an hour later, we heard a key in the front door whilst we were on the sofa and I jumped as Zed looked out from the kitchen but looked through the window and seemed chilled. The door opened a moment later.

'Zed, tell your cousin off.' Jack called into the house and I heard Grace laugh.

'As if he has the authority to tell me off.' Grace mocked at the same time Zed told her to behave. She came around the corner of the porch carry three shopping bags. Zed darted forward and took them from her hand. 'Oh, come on.' Grace rolled her eyes.

'I don't know how many times I have to tell you, Grace. You are pregnant, you cannot keep doing things that you used to do including lifting heavy things. We discussed this last night, and the night before and pretty much every single night since you took that test.' Jack told her gently before he kissed her gently. 'I am very much prepared to tell you for the next one hundred and sixty-four days too but something tells me you would get annoyed with that.'

'Na, 'cause I know I can lift stuff that isn't too heavy.' Grace laughed and Jack frowned before standing straight.

'You never told me.' Jack said.

'Told you what?'

'That you had kids before this one and therefore know exactly what you can and cannot manage when you have a child. I would have liked to meet your previous children, Grace.' Jack mocked.

'Let's not start a domestic.' Zed joked.

'We got you some food in.' Grace nodded to the bags. The cousins appeared to be speaking telepathically for a while as Jack just looked at them funny before he looked at me and shrugged.

'How are you dealing with this all, Sky?' Jack asked me softly as he came and sat down next to me. He was in just a pair of chino shorts and a black top having kicked off his shoes. 'I know what it's like to pack up everything and move half the way across the world. I know how rough it is, so please don't lie to me.' He told me softly and I nodded.

'It's not as bad as I thought but I still have everything to kick in. I haven't overly realised how far away my parents are and how I can't really go over there. I haven't realised how far all my friends are. How did you deal with it?' I asked Jack and he sighed.

'Honestly? It was hard.' Jack said, and I nodded.

'Why?' I asked as he checked the kitchen. Grace and Zed were still talking quietly as they unpacked the shopping bags they had got for us.

'Well. I was born in Italy, but my parents got divorced when I was three – the breakup started when I was like 18 months old, so I was really young. My Dad accused my Mum of having an affair and I wasn't his son. Anyway, I moved to Australia with my Mum and my two brothers when I was three into a crappy chalet kind of place about a kilometre from a deserted beach. I grew up on the beach and Mum always let me experiment with my gift and play around and I learnt to use it to my benefit. So, I went to school but because I really struggled to speak I never really was social and I didn't pick up the accent until I was seven or so. I was lucky I didn't get bullied, but I wasn't overly appreciated in my classes. I dropped out when I was sixteen and cheated my way to become a lifeguard on the other side of Australia. I knew someone that I could stay with and thankfully, I became really close to the guys I worked with. I was the youngest they had on, so all my mates were older than me. I was there for two years before I met Grace and, it sounds cliché but it completely changed my life. I knew I couldn't just stay a lifeguard forever and the Australian coast is nothing like the English coast. Each season you'd probably have a fatality that you'd see and it plays with your mind. Anyway, I met Grace and she was on holiday with her brothers for three weeks when she was at conferences. And at the end of the three weeks – the best three weeks of my life – she left.'

'What?' I asked and he nodded. I'd have assume Grace would have stayed forever with Jack and that's how they ended up here - I would have never thought Grace would just leave her Soulfinder half way across the Globe.

'She said she couldn't stay, she had work she had to do as an urgent matter and she got on the flight as planned. I woke up and she was gone. I don't know what I expected, she said she had to go back to England but I thought something would change and I would wake up and she'd be in my house like she was for those three weeks.' Jack said, looking at the tattoo on his arm under his bicep – it looked like a tiny wave and a surfboard. 'I went to speak to the guy I am paired up with at work, and asked him what to do and he looked at me like I was stupid and told me to get my ass on the plane to work it out with my Soulfinder. So I did, I booked a last minute flight to England without a stopover – which, by the way, don't ever do that no matter how cheap it is. I found Grace and she was like "seriously, I have to go to work" even though I had just caught a flight from Australia to England just to see her again. So I stayed with her brother, Nick, for about two days until she returned home from work. Like, don't get me wrong, I pulled long days as a lifeguard, but I never did a two day bender. Nick eventually broke under the pressure of me asking him constantly what Grace actually does for a job to tell me about this Savant unit that is run by the Government and she's very well respected and she was working on this case and that was why she was in Australia.'

Grace came in and handed him a cup of tea, as well as giving one to me before she walked back out into the kitchen as Jack gently smiled at her even when her back was turned. They were the cutest couple ever.

'She finished the case, they gave her a month off so she flew back out with me for the entire month. We knew, though, at the end of that month, it would either be break up or move in with each other in either England or Australia. I mean, for a time, it was very likely she would move to Australia with me. The boys at work completely adored her, she would spend a fair while on the beach with us and surf with us and so on. But she is completely attached to her family, I mean look how close she is to her cousin. Are you that close to your cousins?'

'God no, they all hate me.' I laughed, and he nodded.

'Same here. By that point I had spoken to my brothers about four times that year? My Mum didn't really speak to me as she viewed me as the failure of the family for dropping out of high school and doing a stupid job. I couldn't tear Grace away from her family. Then a job offer came through for me to work where Grace worked, and it was a seriously cool offer, and it was in something I had always wanted to do, and they would pay for me to get a degree in said area, and Grace had a small flat in England anyway. Realistically, it was a no brainer. I handed in my resignation and a week later I was on the plane over. But it was hard. It was only when I was like three weeks over here the novelty wore off massively. I was cold constantly and Grace told me it was autumn and I was walking around in thick coats. I missed my friends massively, I missed surfing, but I have Grace and that was all that mattered. Seeing her every morning when I woke up in my arms, seeing her around work and being able to be there for her no matter what – that was what made it worthwhile.'

I looked down at the floor and Jack sighed.

'You'll find out soon that it is hard. I'm not going to sugar coat it. I'll be your first day of lectures and you'll be nervous and you'll want to talk to Sally and you'll phone her up and realise it's the middle of the night there and that's when it'll hit you. But you have amazing friends who still want to keep in touch and talk to you and visit, and you have your Mum and Dad who will phone you each night and you have Zed too. I know it's scary Sky. I was your age when I had to move over here too and I didn't even know how to use a tumble dryer. But you can get through it. We're just up the road and Grace is a bat and doesn't sleep so if you ever need us, one of us will be awake and we can be here in a matter of minutes.'

'Even when the baby is here?' I asked nervously and he laughed.

'I think more than then ever.' Jack took a sip of his drink and looked at me for a moment as I remained silent. 'If our baby is up all hours of the night like Grace is, I'm completely screwed.'

'Well at least Grace will be up to deal with the baby.' I said and I felt a tiny bit closer to Jack knowing he had to go through the exact same thing as me and somehow, he made it better here in England than he would of as a lifeguard. I mean, I didn't actually know what Grace and Jack did workwise but I could guess it was something to do with criminal investigations.

'She's already told me that its my fault she's pregnant so I'm dealing with the baby in equal amounts to she is. Especially as I got longer paternity leave than she does. I don't mind though. I know we're both young and realistically, we have fuck all baby skills. I know the baby was unplanned and we didn't even expect something to happen but I'm so excited. I think, well I mean I hope, Grace is excited.'

'I am!' Grace called from the kitchen and Jack sighed.

'Are you eavesdropping?' Jack asked and Grace appeared around from the doorway and nodded with a cheeky grin on her face. 'You pain in the ass.' I heard Grace laugh from inside the kitchen as Jack opened his phone and showed me the picture of the ultrasound taken around a month ago. All ultrasounds look the same but there was something about this ultrasound that made it seem like their baby, Jack and Grace's baby, was completely unique. Like the baby already has a personality of its own. I smiled at the scan.

'Would you change it at all?'

'Um, not really.' Jack said and I frowned. 'Like, if we could have pushed it back a few months so Grace could have had the baby later on in the year as now we don't actually know if she can go to university or not, we're waiting to hear back from the office as we've declared her pregnancy. Or if it could have happened after we were married. But no, it would have been nice but I in no way regret him.'

'Him?' I laughed.

'Oh it has to be a boy.' Jack laughed.

'No, no it's not a boy. Jack, how many times.' Grace said sauntering back into the room and sitting down opposite us. She was in a black vest top which clung to her body and you could tell now she was pregnant. I did wonder what her parents thought of it. I knew her Mum, Ari, was Karla's older sister. I also knew Karla came from a very catholic background and was taught to frown upon a lot of things including sex before marriage and children being born out of wedlock. I did also know that Grace was very much the bad girl in her family and was frowned upon heavily – perhaps why she got on so well with Zed.

'It is clearly a boy.' Jack said and Grace shook her head.

'And I'm sure your spidey-senses can tell what gender our baby is even though our baby is currently growing inside me.'

'Zed, have you seen anything about our baby?' Jack asked as Zed sat down next to Grace. I frowned at him as he just took a sip of his coffee and winked at me.

 _Have you actually?_ I asked him telepathically.

 _Yup. I'll tell you later. Grace will no doubt be eavesdropping._

 _Am not._ Grace interrupted.

'Anyway, moving on.' Jack said. 'We're going to take you into the town centre to set up properly your bank account, get you some cards and so on. In two days' time, the university have a music sign up day where you go and sign up to modules for your first year – both of you need to go to that.'

'Also, next Monday we're going away for ten days. Ben will be looking after the house and will be on call if you need him but we'll officially hand over your case back to the office, so they'll be dealing with everything until we're home.' Grace added.

'Where are you going?'

'Australia for eight days, the other two are travelling.' Jack explained, and I nodded. 'You'll be completely safe. There is no reason to believe the people who we believe are hunting you down even know you're over here. If we get any news about anything that would even mildly put you at risk, we'll be on the next plane back.'

'Anyway, finish your tea, we need to get into town before it gets hectic.'

I thought Grace would be lying about the town centre getting hectic – the streets around us were dead and quiet. But around a ten-minute drive away, the bustling town of Reading sat. And it was bustling. Jack, in his beloved car, found a parking space at the top of a carpark and we walked down a river to get into the town. The shopping centre was amazing, spanning three floors and heading in all direction with a food court on the riverside and streets outside the main shopping mall were lined with shops too. Zed and I had a list of things we needed to pick up for our house.

We had gone into the back and had an hour long appointment with a lovely gentleman called Brendon who set up four bank accounts for us; a student account and a normal account each. The rent for the house and utility bills came out of an already set up account that the Government protection scheme set up for us. The money for that kind of stuff never even touched us. After, we had gone around homeware shop after homeware shop picking up all the things we didn't have already; duvet covers, pillows, mirrors, cutlery, bath towels, lamps, and an entire new wardrobe each as we could bring over only a few items of clothing.

'My Audi.' Jack joked as he skilfully stacked up the boot full of our shopping – before spilling it into the back-passenger seat. I sat in the smaller seat in the middle leaning against Zed with boxes all around us, bags by our feet.

'If you care out the baby as much as you care for this car, we're sorted.' Grace joked, also with bags surrounding her but hers full of baby clothes and other infant items.

'But, Gracie, this _is_ my baby.' Jack mocked as he checked Zed and I were both wearing seatbelts.

'Mate, you're on thin ground.' Zed warned.

'True.' Grace added and Jack sighed as he started to weave out of the carpark.

'You told Mom yet?' Zed asked Grace and I knew she hesitated.

'My Mum or your Mum?' Grace replied, and I knew Jack was frowning.

'Both.'

'No. To both.'

'You told me you had told your Mum?' Jack mumbled and I frowned.

'She'd hate me, Jack. You know what she's like with me, let alone when I'm breaking the fundamental rules of whatever strain of Catholicism she's following.' Grace explained fed up.

'Okay, yeah, you're not your Mum's favourite Grace. But she will support you in this. It's not like you slept with someone on the street. You're engaged, and you were planning to get married next year. You have your own house and stable jobs. So what if you didn't plan to have this baby? You're going to be brilliant, caring parents so if your Mum doesn't like it, then tough tits. Same with my Mum. I know she'll love it because she does have a soft spot for you regardless of what you think.' Zed explained, leaning forward and rubbing her shoulders. I smiled at him softly.

'And realistically, my parent won't care when I tell them but it doesn't bother me. They mean nothing to me as they both hate me.' Jack explained and I frowned and looked at Zed. Zed knew I was looking at him and he shook his head – don't ask about the family drama. 'So, even if your Mum and Dad don't like the news, it's their decision if they want to be in the baby's life or not. They'll be stupid if they didn't take the opportunity. But, you'll always have me there with you.'

'Yeah, and us.' Zed added and Grace smiled slightly as she wiped away a tear. I knew Zed would have convinced her by now if he knew Grace's parents would love the idea of the baby. So I knew there was a good chance that Grace's parents would not accept the idea she was having a baby in her early twenties and out of wedlock. 'And all my brothers too. I know it sucks the idea of your baby not having any grandparents and you think them not having Grandparents would deprive your baby of the experiences we had with Nonna and so on, but it'll be different. They'll have like, twenty great cousins who will be the cool Uncles and Aunties who will let them do the things Nonna will let us do. And if all that fails, I'm sure Karla will step in for you – she's been dying to adopt you for a while now. I think you're the daughter she never had.'

'Thanks guys.' Grace mumbled, touching Zed's hand on her shoulder.

'How did Nick and Ben take it?' Zed asked.

I knew Nick and Ben, they were the second youngest siblings in Grace's family – both twins. They got on extremely well with Grace and with everyone else. Grace's siblings were weird; there was seven of them, but Grace's Mum had four kids when she was really young and in quick succession, left a ten year gap and then had Ben, Nick and Grace in the space of two years. It meant the four older siblings were close (and we rarely saw them as they were scattered around the Globe too) and the youngest three were close, but they weren't overly close altogether – unlike Zed's family.

'They were more than happy with it. Gave Jack a good talking too.'

' _A good talking too?_ I thought they were going to _stab_ me, Grace.' Jack butted in.

'I wouldn't be surprised if they did.' Zed added before he leaned back in his chair. 'You going to still go to university with us? I know that was the original plan but you've only just told the office about the baby and the university isn't _overly_ fond with the idea.'

'I really don't know now. If I don't go, that's fine with me. I still have a degree at the end of the day so a second one is somewhat unnecessary. I think the university is telling the office it's best for me to push back my admission this year and then go back the year after otherwise there is every chance I will fail. And the office is become more sway on the idea of me not going; you don't need personal security and university with you and if we ever get a notification saying we believe the people are up to something, we can go from there.' Grace explained and I nodded – I kind of agreed with the university. She didn't want to have any extra stress as her due date got closer. It was fine saying it now when she was in the really early stages but when she was ready to pop and had 4 assignments due in, would she be able to manage it properly?

'I think I speak for both me and Sky, Grace, but we'd prefer it if you did what was best for your baby. We can manage at university to stay safe. We can go to lectures, drive home and that will all be around people. We'll be fine. I'd rather you do everything you can to keep the baby safe and going to university, getting stressed out and drained won't be any help.' Zed explained softly to her and she nodded and sighed.

'I'll think about not going a bit more later.' Jack nodded, and I knew that this was what he wanted. We were on the main roads heading back to the road where we both lived in.

'Are you going to find out the gender of the baby at the twenty week scan?' I asked Grace as we drove past a large hospital in the central of Reading. At the end, I could see a maternity unit and I would only assume Grace would give birth there in a handful of months.

'We don't need too, we already know it's a boy.' Jack said and Grace pulled a face at him. I looked over at Zed who was leaning back on the chair 'Oh come on, it has to a be a boy!' Jack laughed as he turned off the main road and I knew we were around five minutes away from the house. Zed met my eye, his eyes a deep blue and he shook his head gently. I frowned at him. The baby isn't a boy? I thought and Zed nodded.

'It's clearly a girl, stop whining.' Grace said and I saw Zed nod.

'When did you find out?' I whispered to him and he smiled.

'The night we landed. I saw it.' He mumbled back and I grinned. They were going to have a girl! And then I thought of how much Jack wanted a boy and wondered how he would take the news.

Grace and Jack continued to talk in the front of the car as we drove the way home, and Zed and I sat in the back gently whispering to each other. Jack parked up outside our house and we unloaded all the items we brought before Grace and Jack left to head home.

'So what did you see?' I asked Zed as I sat on our double bed as he changed the bedsheets. He had taken off his top, revealing a toned chest that was still tanned from out holiday to Spain. His hair was fluffy and messy but he still looked incredible.

'It was the end of February and we were in Grace's house, and the baby was in a pink dungaree set with "Mummy's little Princess" across the front and, let me tell you now, the baby is _adorable.'_

'And do you really think Grace's Mum won't like the baby?' I asked and Zed stopped in his track. He then pulled a face as he thought.

'I don't think she will, no. Auntie Ari is a very strict and tight. She isn't a fan of Grace for being the rebellious kid to start with. She was the second girl in the family, the first was Maxine who was very Catholic, attended Sunday school and helped at church after school and now works as a teacher in a Catholic school. And Grace was rebellious, fucked around with the system, didn't take no for an answer. She was genuinely kickass. So Ari didn't overly like her. And the second eldest, Damien, he's just had a baby and Ari and him refused to let Grace anywhere near the baby. They didn't like Jack because he wasn't Catholic and she never lived Grace being on contraceptive pills as they don't believe in contraception or sex before marriage. So no, I really don't think Auntie Ari will like Grace's news. But it doesn't mean Ari won't support her. That I have no idea – Auntie Ari would really be showing her colours if she doesn't support Grace.' Zed explained as he sat on the end of the bed. 'I'm kind of really lucky that Mom deviated away from the Catholic blood line. I couldn't imagine having a parent who hated me and disapproved of all my moves as much as Ari did to Grace.'

'It's because Karla isn't a bitch.' I said and he laughed. 'I can't believe someone could hate their own daughter because they prefer what a religion would say instead.'

'It does seem ridiculous.' Zed said as he laid down. I joined him and he put his arm out so he held me to his chest.

'What about Jack's parents then?' I asked and Zed sighed.

'If I remember correctly. So Jack's parents separated when he was baby – he was really young. It was a nasty separation. Jack's dad stayed in Italy, his Mum moved with him to Australia. Jack's dad never wanted anything to do with Jack. His parents broke up on an alleged affair that his mum had, and Jack's dad was convinced he was not the father of Jack. So his Mum moved him to Australia. And then he dropped out of high school at sixteen to become a lifeguard and his Mum was having none of it. His mum said if he moved to the other coast of Australia to become a lifeguard she will disown him. And he did it. He has tried to contact his parents, both of them, since getting with Grace and moving back to England. His Dad, Andrew I think he was called, basically told Jack that Jack wasn't his son so he didn't care about him. His Mum told him that she didn't care what he did with his life as he'll always be a disgrace.'

'Oh God.' I whispered and Zed nodded sadly.

'I know Jack's tried to talk to his Mum a lot recently. He's never apologised for what he's done, kudos to him. But he's explained to his Mum that he is now settled down, he's got a kickass job, and then he graduated with the highest level of a degree that you can get. Then he told his Mum he proposed to Grace and she agreed to marry him. And she turned around and told him that she doesn't care, she didn't want to come to his graduation, she doesn't care who he's marrying, and she won't come to the wedding. She will turn around and tell him that she does not care about the baby either.'

'So there will be probably no grandparents or this baby.' I mumbled and Zed held me tight.

'Probably not, no. Ari might get over it in time, but not in the immediate future. But the baby will have us and I'm sure we can be the cool Grandparents.' Zed joked and I laughed.

'This won't happen to us, will it?' I mumbled and Zed sat up. I followed suit.

'What do you mean?'

'Karla…' I mumbled and Zed frowned at looked at me.

'Have… have you ever met Mom?' Zed smiled and I pulled a face. 'She would love any grandchild she can get at this moment. Sally and Simon would be over the moon. It won't happen to us, no. Is there something you're trying say?' Zed joked as he put his hand over my abdomen.

'No.' I laughed as Zed gently lifted my chin and kissed me. I deepened the kiss, climbing on top of him, straddling him as we continued to kiss. I broke the kiss as Zed bit his lip, grinning at me as he did before he whipped off my top.

'God, I love you.' Zed whispered before he rolled me over. And in his embrace, kissing me hard, I felt safe – like nothing could go wrong as long as I had Zed beside me. And considering he moved continents with me to try and keep me safe, I doubt Zed would have left my side.

Hello!

So this is the first chapter of me starting to write it again. I have a plan on where this is all going to go, but not overly. I'm trying to make the chapters longer than the 2000 words I had last time - but is this chapter too long? Do you still like it? Should I stop it again or continue? I'm still a bit hit and miss if I want to finish it or not.


End file.
